The Crucible of a Magi
by Lady PC
Summary: Hermione discovers the diary of Rowena Ravenclaw, which leads her to find the oldest game ever played at Hogwarts, and the most dangerous. Loosely based off Jumanji. HHr pairing.
1. The Mystery of the Missing Magi

The Crucible of a Magi  
  
Hermione discovers the diary of Rowena Ravenclaw, which leads her to find the oldest game ever played at Hogwarts, and the most dangerous. Loosely based off Jumanji. H/Hr pairing.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.. though I wish I did. Please don't sue me. You already get enough money from me anyhow.. I even have the HP toothbrush.. and I'm 17.. *sigh*  
  
Rating: R, but that might change later, though I doubt it. I'm not quite sure how bad or dark or whatever this fic is going to be, but we'll just say R to be safe.  
  
Spoilers: All 4 books.  
  
Chapter 1: Mystery of the Missing Magi  
  
It was almost one thousand years ago that our founders created a center of learning to teach young wizards and witches the basics and fundamentals of magic. It was a dark age, with all that witch burning nonsense, and they felt that the next generation should receive a better education then what their parents could provide. So it came to be that Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salzar Slytherin's vision of a higher place of learning, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was created. Although Salzar left the school due to his views on muggles that the others did not share, he is still celebrated along with the other three because of the large role he played in our school's history.  
  
The thin wavering form of Professor Binns hovered before the group of sixth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. His spirit lethargically floating from one side of the chalkboard to the other as he scribbled down various points of discussion on the board with a squeaky piece of chalk. Usually Professor Binns' class was viewed as a chance to catch up on lost sleep, but the topic of the Hogwarts school founders was something everyone was curious about, even if just a little bit. And so, not quite unlike the discussion of the Chamber of Secrets, all the students were strangely attentive.  
  
Despite the strong urge to doze, Harry Potter was attentive because he was being hunted by the Heir of Slytherin himself. Ron Weasley kept his eyes open because he was nosey. And Hermione Granger scrawled detailed notes because she refused to be a mere student when the votes for future head girl were fast approaching.  
  
"Now as you all well know, at the end of the week we will be having a feast along with a dance at the end of the week, celebrating one thousand years of the proud learning tradition here at Hogwarts. I've decided, to further your school history, I want you all to write a two-foot essay on some aspect of Hogwarts history. You can write about one of the founders perhaps, or one the headmasters or headmistresses, or some of the great quidditch tournaments." At this all the boys eyes lit up. "Whatever it is makes no difference to me. If you feel that your topic may be questionable, speak with me for approval."  
  
As soon as he finished with his speech, the class broke out into an excited murmur of babbling and rattling on about the papers. Hermione's quill flashed furiously across the bit of parchment before her, leaving a trail of crimson ink behind it as she jotted down various ideas.  
  
A paper on the headmistresses of Hogwarts could be very interesting.. or perhaps one of the founders. I doubt there's much information on any of them.. I'd like a challenge. She mumbled softly to herself, a storm of ideas racing through her mind.  
  
'Well I'm writing my paper on all the Gryffindor quidditch players that went on to become pro-players. I know loads about that!" Ron said animatedly and began gesturing with his hands. "There was Edward Stewarts who played for the Chudley Cannons'| He was one of the best keepers they had and he was a Gryffindor at Hogwarts and then there-"  
  
Hermione turned to Harry, but it didn't slow Ron down one bit. He just turned his chair around to Dean, who was more than willing to listen. And that was all well and good because Hermione really didn't have the patience to listen to Ron jabber on about quidditch at that moment.  
  
Harry seemed a bit lost in thought as he raked his brain for ideas and seemed quite caught up in something. His bottle green eyes looked distant as he tapped his quill on the table absentmindedly.  
  
"Have you decided on anything yet, Harry?" Hermione asked, watching him scrunch up his face in thought. Unexpectedly, his face lit up with excitement.  
  
"Oh I've got great idea! I think I'll write about Professor Dumbledore and his battle with Grindelwald. I bet that was certainly interesting and I can get all the information I need straight from Dumbledore."  
  
A small smile graced Hermione's face and she nodded enthusiastically. It was always pleasant to see Harry so happy when he seldom had reason to be. It made her admire him all over again and she felt just like a first year once more, down in the recesses of Hogwarts, telling Harry what a wonderful wizard he was.  
  
"That's a great idea Harry. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would love to help you. I've always wondered a bit about that battle myself. I was thinking about researching Godric Gryffindor, but everyone will be doing that. I suppose even a few Ravenclaws will as well. What do you think about Rowena Ravenclaw though? I've never heard much about her."  
  
Harry looked a bit surprised, but shrugged, conceding. "Yeah, I guess it makes sense. I don't think that the Ravenclaws will be pleased though. You might make them look bad.. and with their own founder no less." At this Harry couldn't help but grin. The Ravenclaws could be a fairly snobbish bunch when given a reason.  
  
And so, one of the seemingly shortest history of magic classes ended. The students gathered up their books and quills and bric-a-brac before streaming out into the hallway and off to their next class for the day.  
  
****  
  
The rest of the day Hermione was incredibly fidgety, just waiting for the chance to head off to the library for some serious snooping. In Transfiguration she accidentally turned the table into an alligator when she missed the sock that she was transforming into a lizard. Professor McGonagall was so surprised by the alligator that it had almost gotten a hold of her tall pointy black hat before she had managed to turn it back into a table. And in care of magical creatures she strayed a bit too close to the cage of Nifflers they had been studying and one of them had gotten a hold of the glistening clasp on her robes. It took almost a half an hour before Hagrid could finally get it to release her and only through the persuasion of a silver sickle. It wasn't until well after dessert had appeared on the long Gryffindor table that she had gotten the opportunity to sneak off to her haven.  
  
Hermione had come to the inevitable conclusion that if she had to watch Ron shovel one more pumpkin pastie into his mouth, spraying crumbs as he prattled on about quidditch this and quidditch that, she might make use of a fairly strong hex that should make him not able to eat at all. Merlin, Gryffindor men were appalling. Not that she hadn't learned this lesson a long time ago.  
  
Just then a commotion at the other end of the table stirred her from Ron's mauling of the innocent pumpkin pastie. It seemed that Seamus, trying to demonstrate the wronski feint, had knocked Colin's camera into the pitcher of sparkling pineapple juice. But that wasn't the end of it. Dean had burst out laughing, causing his pumpkin juice to shoot out his nose and drench Lavander's new white robe she had 'specially' ordered from Madam Malkins. Lavander was never one to let a moment for theatrics go to waste and immediately began wailing and sobbing. Hermione wasn't totally without compassion. If she had been sprayed with pumpkin juice from Dean's nostrils, she might cry as well. It was obvious, from the way Dean was laughing even more, that hanging about might result in becoming a victim like Lavander. With that horrid thought motivating her, she slipped off to the library, making her usual excuses.  
  
"I have loads of homework to do, You can never spend enough time in the library, To my knowledge, no one has invented a spell that does your homework for you.."  
  
And off she went, knowing that they wouldn't dare intrude on her sanctuary. It seemed as if the musty old book smell of the library kept them at bay, but to Hermione, it was heaven. So much knowledge packed into one spot, all hers for the taking. Didn't the students realize what they were missing? She felt as if she were stealing their sugar quills while they were still struggling to open the packs of chocolate frogs just so they could have the cards. In this case, the stealing didn't bother her one bit.  
  
The great mahogany door opened with out so much as a squeak and she nodded in greeting to the prim Madam Pince as she passed. Upon receiving the standard cool nod in reply from the hawk-like librarian, she made her way to her favorite table, hidden off in lonely corner behind a wall of stacked books.  
  
Thus the great search began.. and about two hours later, Hermione slammed shut the worn book before her, creating a small puff of dust. She huffed with a disgusted tone. Quite frankly, she was appalled at the lack of information of the Ravenclaw founder. Shouldn't the great library of Hogwarts have something? It always seemed to have everything you could ever need to know. Perhaps there was more to this then there seemed to be.  
  
"Madam Pince, are you entirely sure that you have nothing more on Rowena Ravenclaw?" She inquired, seriously doubting the library's lack of knowledge on the subject.  
  
But it seemed that, short of looking in the restricted section, there was nothing more in the library. Madam Pince, peered over the rim of her slim glasses at the Granger girl and with a cold warning stare, informed her that she had no access to the restricted section and therefore there was no more that she could do for her.  
  
As if Hermione was going to let that stop what little progress she had made. She thanked Madam Pince politely as she ought and left the library without another word. If she couldn't find what she needed in the library, she would find it elsewhere.  
  
****  
  
One would be surprised at the endless number of stairs you have to climb to reach the Astronomy Tower. No wonder she had quit divinations. If she hadn't been so disgusted by the sheer foolishness of Professor Trelawny and her mystic mishaps, then she would have quit after one more week of climbing those atrocious stairs each day. By the time Hermione had made it to the summit, she could barely grasp her bag of books much less stand up straight. But she wasn't about to let a measly staircase stop her from finding out exactly what had happened with Lady Rowena. And the person who would know something, if anything at all would be the head of Ravenclaw, Professor Sinistra.  
  
Typically, the astronomy professor spent her nights, instructing the few 7th years that opted to take her class, and from time to time they even ventured outside if the weather permitted. Luckily, Hermione had not made the journey for naught. There sat Professor Sinistra with a group of students, leaning out the windows with omnioculars, squinting as they made out various star formations.  
  
A discreet cough pulled Professor Sinistra's attention from the window and to the doorway where Hermione stood. She left the students; confident they would be fine by themselves for a moment and led Hermione outside the small room and onto the landing above the stairs.  
  
Noting the determined look on Miss Granger's face, the Professor couldn't help but wonder. "Is everything all right dear?" Hermione nodded assuredly, and pulled out a small roll of parchment and her white-feather quill.  
  
"Everything is fine.. well for the most part. I was wondering if you might help me. You see, I find the library quite inadequate in their stock of information on Lady Rowena and since you are the Head of Ravenclaw, I thought you might know something. I'm writing a paper for Professor Binns and if I write a paper using only the information I found in our library, I'd be ashamed to call it my own."  
  
Hermione spoke as if she was confessing some deep dark secret, but quickly pulled up her shoulders and donned a professional air.  
  
"And so, any information you might have would be exceptionally helpful." With her quill poised ready against the parchment, she looked up to Professor Sinistra expectantly.  
  
"I'm sorry dear, I probably don't know much more than you do. Let me see, Lady Rowena was from one of the old wizarding families of that time. She was a very clever witch and most of the magical devices and ideas around Hogwarts were from her own design, such as the Great Hall's ceiling. I believe she was an expert in arithmancy and astrology."  
  
She scribbled down a few notes and then waited patiently for Professor Sinistra to continue on the subject, but she never did.  
  
"That's really all I know." She sighed, a blush creeping across her pale face. "I'm sorry I can't help you further."  
  
Hermione took a deep breath, trying not to show her disappointment, but the Professor saw it nevertheless.  
  
"Miss Granger, I suggest that you should go and speak with Professor Dumbledore." At Hermione's surprised expression she continued on, "He may have been a Gryffindor, but he knows more about his school than all of us professors combined. Besides, he's probably expecting you at this very moment. Always was odd like that." She couldn't help but grin slightly.  
  
Hermione was utterly baffled as Professor Sinistra proceeded to usher her out the door, stopping just short of forcefully shoving her down the steps.  
  
"Hurry along now Miss Granger, mustn't keep the Headmaster waiting."  
  
****  
  
Author's Notes: YAY! Done with the first chapter!! The first one is always the hardest because it's boring and just sets up the story, but I promise the second one will be better. It really starts getting interesting after this.. plus| there eventually should be some H/Hr in there as well. There just isn't all that many good H/Hr fics out there, I mean, not like D/Hr or even S/Hr. Almost all those fics are just amazing.. lol I know all you H/Hr shippers just are cringing right now. But seriously, there's so few good H/Hr fics that it's really rare for me to even check. I get depressed because it's my fav pairing, but I'm such a picky reader that I can't just read any fic. Not to say that there aren't any good ones out there, just that it's really rare. Please support the writing of good H/Hr fics! Oh and don't forget to please R/R. And please don't flame. I respect constructive criticism, but if you really don't like my fic then don't bother reading it. That's all for now.  
  
Oh! Thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Scully_HP. Read her fic, it's awesome.  
  
Lady PC 


	2. On the Trail of a Tepid Tale

The Crucible of a Magi  
  
Hermione discovers the diary of Rowena Ravenclaw, which leads her to find the oldest game ever played at Hogwarts, and the most dangerous. Loosely based off Jumanji. H/Hr pairing.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.. Just a bag of Bertie Botts Beans.. and the only fun flavor I have left is the bogey one.. I'm too afraid to try it. Especially after what happened with the anchovy one.. Please forgive me!  
  
Rating: R, but that might change later, though I doubt it. I'm not quite sure how bad or dark or whatever this fic is going to be, but we'll just say R to be safe.  
  
Spoilers: All 4 books.  
  
Chapter 2: On the Trail of a Tepid Tale  
  
After being so rudely evicted from the Astronomy Tower by Professor Sinistra, Hermione quickly found her way to the gargoyle statue that marked the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office. Professor Sinistra had made it quite clear that Dumbledore was waiting for her and so she made haste, as it was almost curfew. It wouldn't do for a prefect to be caught out after hours.  
  
It wasn't until she reached the statue that she realized that she had absolutely no idea what the password was. She wasn't about to walk back up the stairs again to ask the Professor, but she had no idea what the password might have been. What was the last password? Maybe that would help.  
  
"Lemon drop!.." The statue didn't budge an inch. " Cockroach cluster! Licorice wand? Cauldron cake, chocolate frog" She began to ramble on faster, "Bertie Botts beans, Drooble's best blowing gum. Not any of those?" She was running about of options, but she thought a bit more. "Alright, muggle candy then. Dumbledore has a thing for muggle candy right? Lets see, tootsie rolls, payday, pop rocks? Junior mints, skittles.. tic tac.." The gargoyle swung to the side, granting Hermione access to the small doorway behind it. She was dumbfounded with her jaw half hanging open and couldn't help but mutter to herself before she entered. "Tic tac? Of course Dumbledore's passwords would be Tic tac. How typically eccentric of him. I love how they make sure us prefects know everything we need to know."  
  
She took a few seconds to collect herself before she hurried up the narrow staircase. It felt as if she was being led into some elaborate trap. The day had gone by so quickly and as much as she wanted to find out everything there was on Lady Rowena, her women's intuition was warning her that there was more to this mystery than a few missing books from the library. What had happened with Lady Rowena? It was possible that she was just a recluse that wanted no part in the history books, but she was the founder of one of the best witchcraft and wizardry schools in the world. There was more information on Salzar Slytherin for Merlin's sake! Though Hermione suspected it was because of his leading role in the morbid history of muggle racism.  
  
There was no time to finish her train of thought on the subject as she reached the summit of the staircase. The small worn door creaked open before a request to enter could be made and Dumbledore stood behind it with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate and an inviting smile.  
  
"How nice of you to visit Miss Granger. I was just thinking of you."  
  
Hermione didn't miss a beat. After six long years at Hogwarts, it took a lot to startle a person, especially if they happened to be Harry Potter's friend. She stepped into his office, accepting the hot chocolate from his hands and sitting down gratefully in a plush chair beside the small fireplace. The heat soaked quickly into her bones and she felt a great deal better, finally able to unwind  
  
They chatted a bit, discussing the weather, class work, even a bit of quidditch. Talking about quidditch with Dumbledore didn't seem to bother her nearly as much as it did with Harry and Ron. Eventually, the pleasantries passed and soon enough they reached the actual subject that Hermione was itching to talk about.  
  
"Lady Rowena Ravenclaw" He began slowly, "Us students and staff owe quite a bit to her as she gave so much of herself to the creation of this school. You will find that the lack of information on her is due to the fact that a few years after Salzar left Hogwarts, Rowena did as well. It is thought that their reasons for leaving, however, were very different. Salzar left the school because the others did not share his views on muggles. This was when he started his war against muggle born witches and wizards."  
  
"Many suspect that Lady Rowena left the sanctuary of the school to go into hiding. Her reasons for going into seclusion were narrowed down to the fact that she supported the education of muggle born witches. I, however, disagree. Godric and Helga supported this as well and despite the usual animosities between Godric and Salzar, they were not actively perused like their colleague. She may have had some object or done something to Salzar. It wouldn't have been a petty thing either. For some reason or other, she felt the need to hide and even after the war, the few followers of his that were left continued to search until it was finally forgotten. Rowena was never seen again."  
  
The tale that Dumbledore wove was so shocking to Hermione that it took her several minutes just to digest and accept the story. Salzar, the founder of the House of Slytherin had tried to hunt down Rowena, the founder of the House of Ravenclaw, during a war to eradicate muggles from the wizarding community. The whole story was just so bizarre, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The Slytherins had to have been riled up into the pompous bigots that they were today and what better leader to have than the Slytherin of all Slytherins. Plus, It seemed that he would have been the perfect great great great granddaddy to You-know-who.  
  
The thing that confused her was Salzar's connection with Rowena. What did she do or what did she have that made her such a big part of the war? "I wish I could truly explain the extent of this war. Miss Granger, are you familiar with the Holocaust?"  
  
Hermione face paled and she looked to Dumbledore with wide eyes..  
  
"Well not quite to that extent." He added quickly, brining a bit of color back to Hermione's face. "Salzar knew exactly how much he could aggravate the hornet's nest before the bees would attack. Wizards know quite well how protective muggles can be. All his activities in the muggle world were kept secret, but that's not to say he wasn't planning a war against them. He was just biding his time and building up his forces. Luckily the Wizard's Council stopped him before he got that far."  
  
"I had no idea. How is it that we haven't learned about this in history of magic? It seems like a much more important topic than the goblin rebellion of 1912." She couldn't help but inform him with a sarcastic smile.  
  
"These subjects are very controversial. This one and when Lord Voldemort came to power are discussions saved for seventh years only and still only if they wish to participate. Students in this school have some very involved family histories in both eras. For instance, I doubt if Mr. Longbottom would be able to participate in the discussion on how Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters were partial to the cruciatus curse to gather their information. Also, muggle students become very emotional when they hear just how their ancestors were treated during Salzar's war."  
  
The mood in the room became very somber. Hermione could just imagine what the Slytherin's would do to a few 'mudbloods' if they ever caught them alone. She couldn't stand it when they sneered at her and called her names. It made her so horribly angry, but she always tried to act unruffled and strived to be above their little games. Not that it wasn't hard, especially when Malfoy picked on her. He was always the most creative with his verbal harassment, but it always made her feel better that she was the one with the top marks in all her classes and Malfoy had to settle for being second. She knew that was the one thing that really irked him and so she threw her whole self into her schoolwork. She wasn't about to let some snobbish pureblood beat her just so they could give her grief about it.  
  
"More hot chocolate?" Dumbledore asked, abruptly changing the subject from where it had been heading.  
  
Hermione nodded and from the bottom of her mug a small fountain of chocolate spilled forth, filling the cup with the steaming brew. Then the room to the silent state it had been in before, but it wasn't an awkward silence, but rather, a comfortable one. It gave her some time to think about the things she had just learned and to just take a step back to breathe. It would have made a wonderful paper, but she needed more, she needed details.  
  
"Is there any way for me to find out more about this Professor? I would love to write my essay on Lady Rowena, but I won't have enough to write the whole thing and as you know, Professor Binns much prefers absolute fact to myths and theories."  
  
He was quiet for a moment, and Hermione feared that he had no more left to say, but then he spoke in his old, weathered and wise voice with his eyes sparkling almost mischievously.  
  
"I believe you may find something in the restricted section of the library" The old man's eyes were lit up like a young man's and if Hermione hadn't been so tired, she would have caught on right away.  
  
"Lady Rowena made quite a few discoveries in the astrology field that we tend to keep hidden from the more immature students. Yes, I believe I would look there." And then he said no more. He hobbled about his small office, muttering 'nox' to the various candles about the room and shuffling the papers strewn about his desk into a small stack. It was if he had utterly forgotten that Hermione had ever existed.  
  
Hermione didn't understand. Dumbledore knew that she had no access to the restricted section. What game was he playing at?  
  
"But Professor Dumbl-" Her protest was cut off by a smooth interjection from Dumbledore.  
  
"I do believe its almost past curfew Miss Granger. You'd best get back to your dormitory. Wouldn't want to upset Filch. He'll be asking to hang you by your thumbs no doubt. I'm sure you have plenty to think about."  
  
She gathered her things slowly as her mind worked on solving this puzzle. It was obvious he wasn't going to give her the permission she needed. She would just have to go elsewhere.  
  
"Yes, yes I do. Good night Professor."  
  
****  
  
The sight of the Fat Lady's portrait was a welcome one to Hermione. She was afraid that she wouldn't make it back in time, but just as she turned down the hall, she could hear the bells ringing, signaling curfew. A sigh of relief escaped her and she made her way to the Fat Lady only to discover her missing.  
  
She couldn't believe it! She had practically ran from Dumbledore's office to make it back in time and she had the nerve to be gone?  
  
"Immature rude paintings! I can't believe this.. now Filch will catch me and I'll get detention! He'll hang me by my thumbs and I won't be able to do my homework anymore because I won't be able to hold the quill. Then my marks will drop.. and I'll get kicked out of Hogwarts for being the worst witch they've ever seen.." She thought to herself, in a slight state of panic and she couldn't stop a few tears from welling up in her eyes. It'd just been such a long day and all she wanted to do was sleep, but she still had all her neglected homework to do. If she couldn't even get into the tower, then why shouldn't she panic a bit? It was in her nature, after all.  
  
With a defeated huff, Hermione let her bag slide from her shoulder and thud to the floor. She had no choice but to wait. If she started knocking on the painting, Mrs. Norris or Filch were liable to hear and come investigating. Hermione soon followed the bag to the floor and she hugged her knees to her chest, making herself as comfortable as she could. There was no telling how long it would take for the Fat Lady to return. One time Neville had spent the entire night outside because the Fat Lady had been partying at Sir Cadogan's midnight mural bash that he hosted every spring.  
  
Slowly, her eyelids drooped closed and she rested her head atop her knees. It looked like it would be a long miserable night. She hoped that the Fat Lady wouldn't be gone too long.  
  
****  
  
[ Dream Sequence ]  
  
The corridor was dark, only illuminated by the flickering of some fire, hidden to her eye. She glanced behind her, to the sides and once more before her, where a sleek black kneazle stood in the previously empty space. It's lion-like tail snapped from side to side hypnotically and it's piercing azure eyes glowed dimly. The kneazle turned, taking a few steps away then glanced over its shoulder as if beckoning her to follow. She did.  
  
It was a difficult journey; half stumbling through the darkness, but always following the piercing gaze of the cat-like creature as it paused at the corners, waiting for her to catch up. She was led through a web-like maze of hallways and staircases that seemed to go down forever and it was as if they were in the bowels of the earth itself.  
  
Each step, the air around her was warmer then that of the last. Together they moved at a neck-breaking pace, just barely safe enough to avoid certain death on the steep staircases. There was no noise, but her own gasping breath, and the clicking of her shoes. The kneazle made no noise; it was cut from the same cloth as the darkness that surrounded them.  
  
The heat was almost too much to bear. Her thick billowy robes were the first to go and soon after, her wool sweater and tie followed. She would have discarded more, but the stops seemed to irritate her guide, and so she struggled to ignore the discomfort.  
  
The darkness began to fade away, slowly at first, but then it was quickly dissolving. It melted down the sides of the hall, crumbled beneath her feet and it even escaped from the kneazle's fur, leaving it a snowy white. It ran like black paint from the tips of the ears, and gathered at the paws and even further until small paw prints of darkness was all that was left. And soon those were washed away as well.  
  
Then the walls from the never-ending corridors fell away and they were in a large chamber with a tall domed ceiling that stretched up forever. The floor was not made of marble, but soft white sand that yielded beneath her steps. It was smooth, undisturbed, and she could almost believe that she was the first to ever step in this sacred place.  
  
Her eyes fell to the center of the chamber as a pedestal rose from the sand. The floor parted for it, like the red sea and it lurched upward into the light. For a moment it was still, but then the pedestal began to quake and the top half exploded, sending the biggest pieces crashing to the sides. When the stirred up whirl of sand had settled, a flickering orb of fire rested in the place of the broken pedestal.  
  
She stood in awe, too stunned to take another step forward until she heard the low purr of the kneazle beside her. It nudged her hand with its nose and she stepped onward, finding her way to the fire.  
  
It was unlike anything she had ever seen. At moment it was crimson, then the next it was a deep sapphire blue and sometimes it was a vibrant collage of colors, dancing to it's own silent song. It was captivating and primordial and she longed to touch it. However, even as she reached her hand out to brush her fingertips against it's warmth and dangerous hiss escaped her companion.  
  
It was only a small distraction, but she tore her eyes away to gaze at her guide. Suddenly, a small voice, almost a whisper echoed in her head.  
  
"You've seen it now, I tried to keep you away, but it does as it pleases."  
  
She glanced around looking for the owner of the voice, but her eyes only found the shimmering blue of the Kneazle's eyes.  
  
"Yes, don't be a fool... Of course it's me. Do you see anyone else? Listen carefully. I didn't want to do this, but as I said before, the flame rarely listens to me." The kneazle had finally sat, eyeing Hermione carefully. It was studying her, determining her worth perhaps. She wasn't sure, but then the voice continued.  
  
"Harry, as brave as he is, cannot defeat Lord Voldemort on his own. He hasn't the power, but with the crucible... and some help from his ancestors, it's possible. You need to find the keys. A simple puzzle really. It's been found once already, I have no doubt in your abilities to find it as well. As I was saying, find the keys and train with the crucible. You will succeed. You have to."  
  
It was all so confusing.  
  
"But I don't understand! What is the crucible? What are the keys for? Is Harry.. Is Harry in danger again?"  
  
The kneazle's mouth curled up into a impish smile.  
  
"Isn't he always?"  
  
[ End Dream Sequence ]  
  
****  
  
Someone or something stumbling over her body and her bag before sprawling to the floor, jostled Hermione from her light slumber. She could hear everything well, but as she pried her eyelids open, the hall appeared to be empty. Her mind could only come up with one conclusion.  
  
"Harry?" She whispered, crawling along the floor, groping for his prone body. "Harry, are you alright?" Her hand found a shoe and then the edge of the invisibility cloak, which she pulled up and off his body.  
  
A muffled groan escaped him followed by a small chuckle.  
  
"Good thing it was you and not Filch I tripped over. This would have been worth a least a week of detention in the forbidden forest." Harry hissed through his laughter. Hermione laughed as well, stretching out her hand and pulling Harry to his feet.  
  
"What are you doing out here?" She questioned, feeling foolish under Harry's incredulous stare.  
  
"Me? What about you? Ron was about ready to search the hallways for you on his broomstick. When Ginny had to drug him with a sleeping draft to settle his down, I decided it'd be safer if it were just me. I have a bit more stealth then Ron." He smirked.  
  
Hermione's face flushed and she looked down, examining her shoes.  
  
"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to,| I should have just knocked, but I didn't want Filch to come running. I didn't know you were all up waiting for me. The Fat Lady was gone..", The excuses coming out in a constant ramble.  
  
Harry grinned, pulling her up, snuggly to his side and slung an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Aww, Herm, that's okay. Ron might be upset in the morning, but I think everyone will just be glad you didn't get detention. Won't all the Slytherin's be so upset you managed to dodge Filch again?" Harry emphasized by squeezing her shoulders.  
  
She grinned at the thought and leaned into Harry more as they walked back to the doorway. Being this close to Harry was wonderful and she decided that she'd pick a half sort-of not really, kinda partial hug from Harry over Dumbledore's hot chocolate any day.  
  
It was the closest they'd been since she kissed his cheek back in fourth year at King's cross. She couldn't deny to herself that she felt something for the boy-who-lived. She didn't want to feel silly every time she thought of him... she'd tried to ignore it for years, but being this close to him was like heaven. It was a windy autumn day, curled up in a chair with Crookshanks and reading Hogwarts, a History again and again until she fell asleep. It was bliss. It was almost too perfect, and she knew better than to trust anything perfect.  
  
Them being together would never work out. It would hurt to many people, mainly two goofy red heads that she cared about quite a bit. For now, however, all that mattered was that he was her best friend and he had come to her rescue.  
  
****  
  
Author's Notes: Mother of Merlin! Who would've thought I'd be writing semi- fluff? It's crazy, I tell ya.. not to mention that this chapter is 2 pages longer then I planned! I'm in awe of myself. Er.. hehe.. j/k j/k. Well, the H/Hr fluff wasn't supposed to be in this chapter, but I was afraid of rioting and whatnot so I put a bit in. Hope you appreciate it! Big big thanks to all those who reviewed.. all 6 of you.. -_-;; Ahh, oh well. If you write it, they will review. I hope all the Rowena stuff wasn't too confusing. And the dream? Well it's okay if that was confusing because it was supposed to be. Things will get going more in the next few chapters.. hopefully. Two shouts out to my beta-reader, Squidditch. Yes, she changed her pen name.. -_-;;  
  
Lady PC  
  
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	3. Hallway Harassment and Hushed Hypocrisy

The Crucible of a Magi  
  
Hermione discovers the diary of Rowena Ravenclaw, which leads her to find the oldest game ever played at Hogwarts, and the most dangerous. Loosely based off Jumanji. H/Hr pairing.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.. Though I wish I did. I'd even settle for a life-size cardboard cutout.. How cool would that be? Kind of like that Megaman cutout in the mall.. mmm.. Megaman..  
  
Rating: R, but that might change later, though I doubt it. I'm not quite sure how bad or dark or whatever this fic is going to be, but we'll just say R to be safe.  
  
Spoilers: All 4 books.  
  
Chapter 3: Hallway Harassment and Hushed Hypocrisy  
  
There's an old legend in the Slytherin house about a set of keys that were stolen from Salzar, back when Hogwarts was first constructed. These keys were said to open a vault that housed an ancient power that would have helped Salzar win the war and gain control of the wizarding world. People speculated that the vault could even have been in Gringotts, but no one knew for sure.  
  
Every good..or bad.. Slytherin had heard the tale in one form or other and knew that Rowena Ravenclaw was the one who had committed the treacherous deed. Living in the world of the posh purebloods, each and every Slytherin knew better than to give their trust freely. They had never trusted Gryffindors and it was probably due to the fact that they had entirely opposite values and ideals, but Ravenclaws were people they held in extreme suspicion.  
  
They generally viewed Gryffindors with contempt and saw them as nothing more than sea slug slime. In the case of Ravenclaws, however, their house residents were thought of as sneaky and not to be underestimated. The irony was overwhelming; seeing as the two houses were more alike then either would ever admit.  
  
So when Draco Malfoy overheard a group of livid Ravenclaws grumbling about a know-it-all Gryffindor, needless to say, his curiosity was aroused. The situation had all the good makings for mayhem and that was one thing Malfoy particularly excelled in. He paused at the corner of the darkened hall, his ears straining to pick up the hushed whisper of gossip from the quintet of Ravenclaws. They were circled together in the middle of the hallway, each with a disapproving and irritated look.  
  
"Those Gryffindors just don't know their place! Especially that muggle- born. Good marks aren't everything in a school like Hogwarts." One Ravenclaw sneered.  
  
"The audacity! All that Granger girl has is a rather good memory, nothing more. She would never be able to come up with her own theories or do something actually constructive." Another commented.  
  
Malfoy smirked, slinking back into a shadowed corner, practically rubbing his hands together in glee. It sounded as if Gryffindor's golden girl was making some waves.. a tsunami even.  
  
****  
  
Harry ran his fingers through his tousled hair, trying to settle it a bit, but the second it looked tamed, the smoothed locks burst forth into a wild tangle of boyishness. It looked the same always; he wondered why he had even bothered. He slipped his shoes on quickly and grabbed his gray sweater, pulling it over his head.  
  
As he struggled with his tie a business-like knock came from the door. By this time his finger was trapped in the folds of the tie and he was practically choking himself.  
  
"Er.. Come in" He croaked and the door swung open. Hermione stood in the doorway with her book bag slung over her shoulder and a look of amused concern on her face.  
  
"Harry.. do you need some help?" she asked, already reaching up to untangle his hand. Harry nodded and a few seconds later his tie was in order and he was ready to go.  
  
"You know..," He said, after she had finished, "Girls aren't supposed to be in the boys dormitories."  
  
Herminie rolled her eyes with a scowl, tugging on the tie to straighten it.  
  
"Oh come off it Harry. Even I know that's a wasted rule. It was more or less made for people like Pansy, Lavender and that Hannah girl from Hufflepuff."  
  
They both grinned. Harry grabbed his robe from off the scarlet and gold draped bed and pulled it on over his shoulders, fumbling with the clasp for a moment before he finally managed to get it right. He took one last glimpse in the mirror and then turned to Herminie, striking a pose.  
  
"How do I look?" He asked, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. Hermione chuckled, leaning back against the doorframe.  
  
"Gorgeous Harry, absolutely gorgeous." She joked, after stifling a giggle. Harry grinned, his eyes lighting up and made a low bow.  
  
"Thank you, thank you. Now.. I'm just curious. Why was it you came to visit me?" The question caused a sudden silence as Harry stopped his morning routine to eye Hermione expectantly.  
  
She bit her lip, watching her shoes with interest. Using people was something she viewed with distaste and to her frustration; a nagging guilt was creeping up on her. However, she reasoned to herself, there was no reason whatsoever to feel guilty. Merlin knows she'd helped Harry with his homework more times than she could count.  
  
"Well, you see. It's really a small thing. I was wondering if I could borrow your invisibility cloak for a while. It wouldn't be for more than three or four days." She mumbled out quickly, looking into Harry's jade eyes hopefully. He blinked, watching her curiously.  
  
"My cloak? Well, I don't know... I mean I trust you and all, but why do you need it? Maybe me and Ron can help you out with whatever mischief you're planning. ."  
  
"Ron and I." She stated plainly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Ron and I. You said me and Ron when it should be Ron and I."  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Hermione.." he began in a warning tone. Hermione winced, biting her lip once more.  
  
"I know, I know. I'm awfully sorry Harry, but I just can't tell you. This is something I have to do on my own. If it comforts your adventuring spirit any, I doubt you and Ron would have any fun with me. It involves quite a bit of studying."  
  
Harry watched her for a moment, just studying her. It was almost unbearable for Hermione to be under his scrutinizing gaze. A moment passed and then Harry shrugged with a sigh.  
  
"I suppose I'll let you. I certainly have no reason not to.. but I expect something in return."  
  
"Something in return?" Hermione questioned warily. "What did you have in mind?"  
  
At this Harry grinned, slipping past Hermione at the door and began down the steps, forcing her to follow him if she wanted to hear his conditions.  
  
"Well.. you see, there's this quidditch match coming up..."  
  
"Harry, don't patronize me. I know that there's a match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff on Wednesday. Everyone knows that." She grumbled, following him down the steps, into the common room and out the portrait doorway.  
  
"Let me finish, would you? As I was saying, there's a quidditch game coming up and I just know that Ron and I would love it if you came along to watch it with us."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened in surprise and a pink blush raced across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. She began her protest, but Harry knew what was coming and quickly cut her off.  
  
"Listen to me for a moment. I know you don't like quidditch all that much, but it would mean a lot to me if you'd come. We're going to be studying the strategies and strengths of the teams and I know you could help us a lot if you'd be there. You tend to notice things we don't always catch. Besides.. If you really want that cloak.. well.. you'd just be thrilled to join us."  
  
Hermione skidded to a halt in the small entranceway before the Great Hall. She was utterly stunned.  
  
"Harry James Potter.. are you blackmailing me?"  
  
A devious smirk graced Harry's face, his eyes sparkling impishly.  
  
"If that's what you want to call it, then that's fine with me. But you know, Hermione, it wouldn't kill you to hang out with us every once in a while. I meant what I said. I really do want you to come" Harry turned his gaze away for a moment, fighting down his embarrassment, and then gathered up his courage to turn back to Hermione with a grin,  
  
"We don't bite, after all."  
  
With that said, he turned on his heel, leaving Hermione's jaw hanging, and entered the Great Hall. He took a seat next to Ron, who looked as if he was suffering from a terrible hangover, brought on by the sleeping tea draft, and began his breakfast.  
  
Hermione was so surprised by Harry's behavior that she stood there for a good five minutes before making her way to the table in a daze. She didn't speak to Harry, but when he looked to her expectantly, she gave him a curt nod and quickly went back to staring at her oatmeal.  
  
When had Harry Potter become so mischievous? It must have been that last summer he spent at the Weasleys.. yes, that must be it. Fred and George could turn anyone into a troublemaker. And what had he meant by wanting her to be at the quidditch match? Everything had become very confusing. A set of arithmancy problems were preferred over the daily dealings of the Gryffindor heart any day.  
  
****  
  
He'd been watching her all day. She was being typically Gryffindorish, arrogant, prissy, and... she also seemed a bit distracted. He'd done a bit of investigating and heard about her mishaps from the day before with the alligator and the niffler. It was so unlike her that Malfoy absolutely positively knew something was going on.  
  
If he sniffed around a little more he would probably see that it was some wild scheme concocted by Potter and Weasley. No doubt they had Granger doing some slightly un-prefect-like research for them and her goody-two- shoes attitude was causing a problem.  
  
Presently, they were in charms, in which the Slytherins tended to congregate in the back. It wasn't because they didn't like the professors, which they didn't, but it was more or less because if you sat in the back, you could get away with more mischief.  
  
Also, it was great for discreet spying. So far, Granger had managed to fill up three pages of notes on some silly ink blotting charm. Potter looked pretty happy about something or other and Weasley looked like he had been smacked in the face by a mad bludger. He was practically falling asleep, leaning onto Hermione's shoulder.  
  
Professor Flitwick finished his lecture and soon after the class was dismissed. The students streamed out the doorway, quick to distance themselves from another lecture on the importance of ink blotting charms.  
  
Herminie, Harry, and Ron packed their things away and left as well. Malfoy, following discreetly behind Hermione, strained to catch bits of the trio's conversation and hoped that it wouldn't be the usual dry Gryffindor drabble.  
  
"You can stop by later and pick it up." Harry said, struggling to juggle his books and Ron's.  
  
"Alright. I'm going to go ahead to potions early. I have some questions I want to ask Professor Snape about the exam." Hermione informed them, turning to head down the other hallway.  
  
"Hermione, schools just started! You can't possibly be thinking about exams now!" Ron groaned with a hand to his head.  
  
She frowned, turning on her heel and began down the hall.  
  
"Well never the less, I intend to be prepared. Even if you two aren't."  
  
The boys just rolled their eyes, quite used to dealing with Hermione's compulsive studying fits, and turned down their own hallway. Malfoy smirked as Potter and Weasley vanished around the corner. Maybe this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.  
  
A simple stumble charm would do the trick.. He gave his wand a flick, mumbling under his breath. Hermione, who had been carrying half her body weight in books, cried out as she stumbled forward, parchment and books tipping from side to side precariously. She had almost righted herself when the stack began to wobble once more before lurching forward, papers spilling from her arms like a fountain.  
  
She huffed and fell to her knees, gathering up as many papers and books as possible. The way she acted, it appeared to Malfoy as if this happened on a regular basis. "My my my, Look at this mess. Where are your boy toys mudblood?", he sneered, "Shouldn't they be cleaning up after you?"  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she hissed irritably.  
  
"Sod off Malfoy. I don't have the patience to deal with your superiority complex today. Go bother Pansy. She'd actually enjoy your company, although I can't imagine why."  
  
The sneer didn't budge from Malfoy's face. A disgusted huff escaped Hermione and she turned away to continue gathering her papers. Malfoy took the opportunity to stoop down, capturing a fist full of parchment to shove quickly into the roomy pocket on his robe. The noise caused Hermione to twist back around and glare at him.  
  
"What do you want? Why haven't you left yet?" She growled, glowering at him coolly.  
  
"Granger, one of these days you, Potty and weasel are going to be caught. You'll finally do something too big for the headmaster to ignore and then, you'll be expelled. And I'll be able to sleep easier at night, knowing that there's one less mudblood in the wizarding world."  
  
A wave of fury bombarded Hermione and suddenly all she could see was red. She was angry, enraged even, but strangely enough she was looking forward to a good fight with Malfoy. There was nothing quite like spewing out a few hexes and insults to relieve stress. She reached into her pocket, gripping her wand tightly and braced herself.  
  
"Hermione! There you are!" The tension that was crackling warily in the air dissipated from the high-pitched, nosey greeting that echoed through the small corridor. Their impending verbal battle skidded to a halt and Hermione grimaced. She would have known that voice anywhere..  
  
Lavender strolled down that hallway lazily, maneuvering her way around Malfoy a little slower than necessary, swaying her hips in a way that could only be preformed in platform maryjanes. She gave him a sideways-glance and continued past him to where Hermione was crouched on the floor in a pile of parchment and literature.  
  
"Hermione.." She began with a sigh, "They make charms for everything now-a- days. I'm surprised you haven't discovered the paper gathering charm. I tend to need it quite often as I'm always tripping. These shoes are so tall and they catch on everything. They're a bloody nightmare.."  
  
She waved her wand around in a cheery little circle while chirping out the spell in a singsong voice. Suddenly all the papers and books began to rustle and slowly gravitate towards Hermione, |including the ones in Malfoy's pocket. His gray eyes widened in panic and he quickly spun around, struggling to hold his pocket closed and waiting desperately for the spell to end.  
  
It was over soon enough, but Malfoy didn't wait to see what happened next. He had a start and that was all he needed for now. Without a backward glance or even a goodbye, Malfoy disappeared from their sight.  
  
Lavender stared at his departing form with her curious lilac eyes. An alarm went off in her head and a catty smile decorated her face. All wasn't as it should be in the halls of Hogwarts. If there were something to find, her and Parvati would get to the bottom of it.  
  
****  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor for your tardiness, Miss Granger! Let me assure you that your elevated prefect status does not give you the right to arrive late to my class. Now take a seat next to Mr. Malfoy. He will be your partner for today's lab."  
  
Snape's rude greeting tempted Hermione to turn back around and walk out of the dark dank dungeon. Excluding Harry's invitation to the quidditch game, the entire day had been a severe trial of patience. The whole room was silent with the exception of the shuffling of Hermione's feet as she crossed the floor and found her seat next to Malfoy. Harry and Ron gave secretive thumbs-up and their best sympathy smiles from a table in the back, but she was too busy starring dejectedly at the floor to notice.  
  
Snape snapped his hands together, motivating the students with a fierce warning glare. Everyone sprang to life and began the painstaking process of measuring out ingredients as if their very lives depended on it.  
  
The cauldron before Hermione was already at a low rolling bubble. The mixture was a syrupy, pale green and a mist of steam rose, smelling faintly of lemons. A large bubble swelled at the surface and popped, speckling the substance onto the table, where it sizzled and ate away a small crater into the already pocked wood.  
  
Hermione flinched and moved back cautiously.  
  
"W-what are we making today?" She asked Malfoy, struggling to keep the tremor in her voice down.  
  
"Trophy polish for Filch. His stores are running a bit low from all the Gryffindor detentions he's had over the past month." The corners of his mouth drew up into a sly sneer.  
  
"I need that lankleroot diced up. Do make yourself useful, Granger." He drawled scornfully. However, Hermione was too preoccupied by the hole in the table to hear him.  
  
The lack of response to his snappy barb frustrated Malfoy. He'd read her stupid notes, and they were amazing. She might be able to get him out of the horrible fix he was in with his father and the dark lord. Not that he needed help from a mudblood, but it would make things a whole lot easier.  
  
The papers that he had snatched were all on the dream she'd had with the strange kneazle and various bits of history on Rowena Ravenclaw. But it was the dream that had interested him the most.  
  
The blade slipped through the roots cleanly and quickly. She scooped the pile into her hands and stood before the cauldron, looking to Malfoy questioningly.  
  
"Do these go in now or should I wait?"  
  
He didn't answer. An awkward silence followed and Hermione soon became impatient.  
  
"Did you hear me or is your ego so big that it's plugging up your ears?" Her snappy inquiry pulled his attention to her.  
  
"I know all about your little secret Granger." Malfoy informed as his cold gray eyes pierced her own. She paused, blinking back at him in confusion.  
  
"...What? What do you know?"  
  
"I know your little secret. I know all about your dream, I know you have the keys and I want them."  
  
A feeling of dread and shock hit Hermione with the force of the Hogwarts Express. How did Malfoy know about her dream? How did he know?  
  
She felt her hands go numb and the forgotten pile of lankleroot slipped from her hands and into the cauldron. A wave of dizziness hit her and in the back of her head she could hear Professor Snape roaring.  
  
"No, you foolish girl!! Thatâ?s far too much lankleroot!!"  
  
Suddenly the Cauldron exploded, and the green syrupy concoction sprayed everywhere.  
  
****  
  
Author's Notes: WAH HA HA HA!!!!! I have successfully completed another chapter! With writer's block to boot! Er..Sheesh, this chapter took me FOREVER to write. I couldn't believe it! I'm so excited because the next chapter is the one I've been waiting to write since I started this blasted fic. Oh, sorry about all the Draco-ness in this chapter, but it was necessary. I absolutely promise that there will be more H/Hr fluff in the next chapter. And don't forget about the quidditch match ^.^ that should be fun to write.. x_X Adios until the next chapter.  
  
Lady PC  
  
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